Virtual reality is more than just fun and games, it can be used as a powerful tool in a modern marketing strategy. Besides VR or 360 video content you will also need the appropriate hardware. The most popular solutions in the last couple of years have been the Google Cardboard, the Samsung Gear VR and the Oculus Rift. Now there’s a new system on the market with the potential to become the leading VR headset for business presentations. There’s only one drawback; the lack of a native Kiosk mode.
What is a Kiosk mode?
In terms of computer technology a Kiosk mode is a method of presenting information to a potential customer in a closed environment. Only the presentation is viewable, the user can’t access the underlying operating system. This could be a PowerPoint presentation on a PC, a Point of Sale display on an iPad or a virtual reality presentation on a VR headset. The presentation can be passive or interactive.
What is the Oculus GO?
The Oculus GO is a popular VR headset developed and distributed by Facebook, although the Oculus VR division works mostly independent from the social media gigant. It is a standalone headset, which means it can run without the use of external hardware like a PC. The design is based on the Samsung Gear VR, another popular option for business and education. However, the Gear VR is a detachable plastic shell designed for Samsung Galaxy smartphones, the GO is a complete self-contained solution that does not require a smartphone to operate.
Does the Oculus GO support a kiosk mode?
Although this headset runs on the Android operating system, it does not allow all the features of this platform. There’s a custom Oculus frontend that severely limits the usage of this product for presentation purposes. But where there’s a will there’s a way… In developer mode it is possible to load external software, in a process called ‘sideloading’. If the proper code is loaded, the standard storefront can be circumvented and replaced with a custom environment.
And that allows for a Oculus GO kiosk mode that can be used for all sorts of presentations. Although Oculus does not support nor endorse this workaround, it is fully compliant with usage rights of this product.
In layman’s terms; it is totally legal to use the Oculus GO in kiosk mode. And that offers up a wide range of new possibilities with this wonderful VR headset.